Carr Not in the Driver’s Seat

The San Francisco 49ers’ first free agent pick-up of the offseason is much better than last season’s. Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciated Brandon Jones’ lone catch for 18 yards. He got a first down on that one. Not to mention his nine punt returns for 26 yards. That’s almost three yards a return. Way to work hard and earn that $5.4 million dollars of guaranteed money.

This season, David Carr is the first free agent signed. I’ve never been a David Carr detractor, and I never thought he got a fair deal being the thrust into the NFL on an expansion team. I’m hoping however, people realize that Carr was brought on to mentor, not compete. See, David Carr is an expert at what Alex Smith is going through. He knows what it’s like to be the scapegoat for a losing team. Like Smith, Carr received the brunt of the blame for the franchises woes. In his first five NFL seasons with the Houston Texans, Carr was sacked an astonishing 249 times. When you average getting knocked on your back 3.27 times a game, your confidence in yourself and your team will surely diminish.

Once Carr left Houston, he was hoping to regain his confidence and passion for the game without any pressure as the back-up to Jake Delhomme of the Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately, Delhomme suffered an injury after the third game and Carr was pressed into action once more. He was on a much better team, but we saw what 249 sacks in 76 games do to a player. Carr was skittish in the pocket. He didn’t set his feet. He held onto the ball too long. He didn’t trust his instinct, or his O-line to protect him.

Carr spent the last two seasons as a member of the New York Giants. He was never called into action for any “real” playing time. In his two seasons there, he played very sparingly and accumulated 340 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He was sacked three times on his 45 pass attempts, which falls in line with his average, solidifying his knack for holding onto the ball. Although the sacks are concerning, the lack of interceptions is a nice sign to see.

For all the speculators, I do not envision any type of quarterback controversy. I believe Alex Smith played well enough last season to be penciled in as the starter. However, Mike Singletary doesn’t want to guarantee any position. Carr is a good move for the franchise in the sense he will bring leadership and much needed experience to the current quarterbacks. Smith, and Shaun Hill have played in a combined 62 games compared to the 91 games of experience Carr brings. He is also a cautionary tale about asking a young quarterback to do too much by himself. As if it isn’t tough enough to make the transition from college to professional football, Carr had to do it as the starter on a brand new team. The difficulty multiplies exponentially in that case. Players and coaches who have never worked together shouldn’t reasonably be expected to succeed.

I do have to wonder how much this signing had to do with not wanting Carr to go to another team, namely the Arizona Cardinals. Among other teams, the Cardinals were interested in him, and were next of the list of places for him to visit. The Cards must have had the same idea to sign a veteran to help out their young, unproven quarterback. They’ve already been rather busy in free agency, both losing and adding players. I’m a little disturbed at the low price the Baltimore Ravens were allowed to acquire Boldin. What’s even more disturbing is the fact that other teams weren’t willing to part with at least a second rounder. How good, or bad I guess, do teams think Boldin is? Considering the New England Patriots demanded, and received a first round pick for Deion Branch, a player who has never had a 1,000 yard receiving season, or has caught more than five touchdowns. But that’s another argument for another day and another forum.

The 49ers shouldn’t be too busy this offseason. The draft is where I believe they’ll make the biggest splashes. After free agent losses of OT Tony Pashos and WR Arnaz Battle, the depth pool must be restocked. Other than the glaring holes along the offensive line, and the absolute desperate need for a return man, the roster is solid. If Nate Clements can work his way back to a top cover-corner, the defense can be one of the NFL’s best. The signing of David Carr improves the depth and hopefully will allow Smith to further grow as the quarterback.

I have been a 49ers fan my entire life and will continue to be one long after I'm dead. My plan for the afterlife is to haunt the Dallas Cowboys and ensure they will never win another Super Bowl. My favorite 49er of all time is Steve Young, and my favorite current 49er would probably be Alex Smith. (I take a lot of sh** for that, even from Niner fans.).

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nice comments about the niners qb position, I agree 100% with your position and look forward to read your next post…

ninerfaithful

wow we need a oline before we can really judge the qbs we have now i am not impressed with the signing of carr i think we should be looking hard at the man who dawns the #7 Nate Davis he is a young version of Donovan MCnabb

I agree with your comments. Finally someone who gets it. You’re a niner fan I actually agree with.(I hate most niners fans) I have been a niner’s fan for 18 years and I will continue to be one for the rest of my life. I don’t get the obsession with Nate Davis. He played in three preseason games, against 3rd stringers or in some cases, guys who weren’t even going to make their respective teams, and he didn’t look that good. There is a youtube video of every pass attempt Davis made during that preseason and he looked average. I will say that he has a great ability to avoid the pass rush and he has a strong arm but that’s it. I’m glad we got Carr so we can get rid of Hill and Nate can continue to learn as qb3. I believe Smith will have his best season this year and lead us into the playoffs(as well win the NFC West).

jubril r.

I agree with jordan.

Don Jose

I have have been a fan for 25 years and I disagree 100%. This was a horrible move, but I could be wrong about carr, but the odds are against him. We need a proven Qb with somewhat sucess and Carr is a huge gamble. huge!! Jordon you can suck my *****, saying you hate most niner fans that obsurd, I think you are probably a Cowbilly fan posing as a niner fan, or one of these newby turds poping up on here. You dont hate your own kind, you hate those hicks fromn Dallas Texas, that who you hate punk!!!

Don Jose

I hate the fact that Carr and his family were diehard cowbilly fans, that rubs me the wrong way because if your a true 49er fan you hate the Cowboys with a passion, steaming back to the 70’s and the walsh era, Walsh depised those hicks! I hope he dont bring that cowboy loving attitude to our locker room and in infect it wirth that love for that team. Personally I think carr just wants to cash in on his millions move close to home and formulate a game plan for his future, maybe in broadcasting in Dallas. I hope I am wrong, and I hope he gets converted from the dark side to the 49ers tradition, because we are the real americas team not those cowpattys!! He’s got to prove alot to us old school real 49er fans, he’s gotta prove he loves the 49ers and wants to be a 49er for life and bring us back to excellence. He should never dare mention those hillbilliies and the fact that he admires them, he should start to hate them like the rest of us! Bill walsh hated the cowbillies, look at the 49ers history video, so many of the players hated those guys and I hope we become good soon and start knocking the cowbillies out of contention every year personally! Carr, you better show respect and realize all those years your ass was confused loving those hillbilies, you better come around, or espect to be humiliated! Once a 49er always a 49er!!!!

Adam

I couldn’t care less what team carr likes. He’s a vet and has experiance to help Smith. Was a good pickup and i agree that we will have a good draft. We need Trent Williams first and foremost.

Ganjinbuu

Anyone that still has faith and believes in Alex Smith is a DAMN FOOL!!!!! He’s had years to proven himself and hasn’t, tired of the lame ass excuses that are constantly being made for him. This is the most talent the niners had on one team in a long time and these guys are just being wasn’t waiting on this knucklehead to get it together. Face it Alex Smith is the 2nd coming of Ryan Leaf and we’ll never have a winning season aslong as he’s taking snaps.

Adam

Ah. They still delete my response after all this time. So glad you remember me. Whinny little bitches.

Don Jose

Amen Ganjinbuu, I have been saying that for a long time. We got all the pieces except for an elite QB. We are going nowhere as long as we have that weakness at QB! Alex or David are backups and they will lead us nowhere! We need to spend the money and get the elite in here Via a trade or free agency. I dont care how much offensive lineman we have, whatever you excuses most of the guys give on this site, WE NEED A GOOD QB OR NO SUPERBOWL! We are not playing for the playoffs, or the West, the 49ers play for one thing, winning superbowls! That is the old 49er way! Maybe all you spolied youngshits don’t remember or werent born when we had that mentality, that was Bill walsh and Jerrys Philosophy!

Adam

Alex Smith is our QB and he will have the same offensive coordinator for the first time since we drafted him. He has what it takes to lead this team and Sing knows that. Smith is our QB and will take us to the playoofs this year no doubt in my mind.

Adam

Thats playoffs

http://49ersnews.com Kevin Sarlandt

I agree Jordan I'm not sold on Davis at all, I think we need to get smith a good o line before we can really pass judgement on him